


Reality Ruined My Life

by punkniallisbestniall (ChelsaOfBakerStreet)



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Reality Show, F/M, Fluff, Smut, The Bachelorette - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-30
Updated: 2017-07-02
Packaged: 2018-11-21 12:39:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11357688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChelsaOfBakerStreet/pseuds/punkniallisbestniall
Summary: Danielle Heston has always been on the search for her soulmate. When she has the chance to be on the ever-popular TV show, The Bachelorette, Danielle jumps at the chance. Knowing that the show is often scripted, she hopes to work through it all to find her one true love. Will Niall be able to win her heart and the proposal, or will someone else steal Danielle's heart from him?





	1. Pre-Production

Danielle Heston stood in the small production room of The Bachelorette. She still couldn't believe the team had chosen her for this season. She knew that these shows were fabricated, but she hoped that maybe she really would find true love while on the show.

They were currently doing production stills and she was in a red dress that accentuated her hourglass shape, her chestnut hair flowing to one side. They had done her makeup, picking out colors to enhance her hazel eyes and she wasn't sure what her current height was with the ridiculous stilettos on.

She was posed in front of a green screen, different props nearby so they could change it up as needed. The photographer soon started, working her in different poses, moving her from side to side and around different props.

By the time they had finished she was exhausted and her feet hurt. Not for the first time she questioned if she was finally going too far to find her true love.

\----------

Danielle stood off to the side, surprised they hadn't given her any information on the men she was about to meet. Probably something to do with ratings and they wanted her reaction to the men to be honest and real. She had already filmed her 'about Danielle' session and knew they were finishing the blurbs of the men to be edited in. Danielle did a few breathing exercises to calm her nerves and waited on the set for the cameras to start rolling. Twenty-five guys would walk out to meet her and had just a few moments to speak to her in which time she had to completely judge these men and choose five to go home.

She looked at the camera, smiling as the producer yelled for everyone to be quiet on set and the lights switched over to the ambient lights, the set glittering to life like the back of a quaint home in England. On her cue, Danielle took the stairs slowly, remembering to keep her shoulders back and her head high. She mentally counted the steps, praying she wouldn't trip and her smile widened as she stepped onto the stable ground.

"And cut!" Leon, the video director hollered while makeup and hair ran over to make sure Danielle was perfect as they moved her in place for the men to walk in. Danielle allowed them to position her arm on the stone wall façade and it took the crew about five minutes to arrange her body and dress perfectly for the shot.

"Alright, places, places," Leon yelled into his walkie-talkie, holding up a list of the names so that he could follow the announcer. "And we have men in three, two," Leon held up one finger and then made the motion for them to roll.

Andrew, the season announcer, began to talk and his voice was piped into Danielle's earpiece so she knew who each person was. They would add the voice over in during post-production, but this gave Danielle the ability to properly pronounce each name as they showed up. "First up on this season of The Bachelorette, Danielle Heston, will be meeting the charming Allan Roderick. Allan is a self-proclaimed gym bro, has competed in multiple Spartan races, and likes Italian food."

Danielle smiled kindly at the blonde beefcake that walked out, his muscles showing even in his suit. He was your typical 'goes to the gym every day' kind of guy, something Danielle had never been too fond of. He took her hand, kissing it before looking her in the eyes.

"Hi Danielle, I'm Allan. I like running, weight-lifting, and I think picnics are a great first date."

Danielle dipped her head in response and Allan went to take his place on his mark at the end.

Andrew came through her earpiece again. "Next up is the talented Harry Styles. He likes to sing, enjoys tea, and eats sushi."

Danielle looked over and was greeted by soft green eyes and hair that was curled on the ends. He was a much better candidate than the first one. She smiled as Harry kissed her hand gently.

"'ello, Danielle." Harry rasped and Danielle was immediately charmed by his accent. Had they gone international for the show this season? "Name's Harry. I like writing songs, reading poetry, and I think ice skating would be a romantic first date."

Danielle had figured out the producer's ploy. Each man was stating their perfect first date because this is what they would do if she chose each man. She smiled, turning her head back as Harry walked to stand next to Allan.

Ben, Cody, James, and Alex followed, each of them with their own first date, but none really sticking out in her mind. Next up, according to Andrew was a Zayn Malik. Danielle was immediately drawn to his facial features. A sharp jawline and dark eyes suddenly made her wonder if he was the one for her.

"Danielle, pleased to meet you," he smiled. "I'm Zayn. I like tattoos, riding motorbikes, and my perfect first date would be dinner at a nice restaurant."

Danielle had to be honest with herself, it was really hard not to follow him with her eyes as he walked away.

Zayn was followed up by Tony, Joel, Erik, Deon, and Styles. Danielle had to admit, it would be a hard choice on who to let go of at the end of the night.

"We now have a lad all the way from Doncaster, Louis Tomlinson, another of our international contestants," and Danielle hid a smirk because she had known it. She watched as Louis walked out and he looked very nice in his suit and she had to wonder if his waist was trimmer than her own.

"Danielle," he piped up, his fringe swept off of his forehead and Danielle had to admit he was really cute. "Nice to meet ya, name is Louis, you can call me Lou. I like footie, er soccer, listening to music, and my perfect first date would be going for a ride in me car, just chilling."

Danielle was definitely not going to cut Louis; he was just too damn cute.

Next up was Olly, an Irishman, Lance, a football player, Daniel the engineer, Red a farmer, and Brandon who Danielle was pretty sure was a pothead. Liam Payne followed this group and Danielle was charmed by his large brown eyes and soft voice.

By the time Josh, Stephen, Rich, Dave, and Randy had greeted her, she could have sworn there were twenty-five and her choice had definitely been made harder, though she could name two already that she would cut tonight. Her earpiece crackled to life, surprising her because she surely thought they would be yelling cut, but she had apparently miscounted because Andrew was telling her, and the future audience, that she was about to meet Niall Horan, all the way from Mullingar, Ireland who liked soccer, playing the guitar, and pizza.

Danielle met his blue eyes across the room and felt an instant connection. She wasn't sure why it felt as if she was struggling to breathe, because he wasn't as model-handsome as Zayn or buff as Allan, but there was something in his smile that was infectious. He kissed Danielle's hand and introduced himself. "I'm Niall. I like watching golf, drinking Guinness, and my perfect first date is staying home with hot chocolate and a movie."

Niall took his place next to all of the others and the camera panned along the line before the director yelled 'cut' and everyone relaxed.

Danielle was swept over to wardrobe and they were playing the greetings over for Danielle so she could make her choice. They wanted this whole episode shot in one night so editing could be done and so that Danielle and the men could move into the actual house together where their every move would be filmed until the end. It all seemed a bit daunting suddenly to Danielle and she began to feel overwhelmed.

The wardrobe assistant helped her out of the dress and into a black A-line that hit right above her knee and they decided to put her hair in a fashionable bun. While that was going on, Danielle was going through her list of nos. The producer had asked her what she looked for in a man before the show started and she realized they had brought in a few men that would instantly clash, like Allan, so that her choice tonight wouldn't be too hard. So far she knew Allan and Stephen were going home, most likely Rich, and the last two she wasn't sure about yet.

The propsmaster handed Danielle twenty cut-stem roses and sent her over to stand by until it was time to film the rose ceremony. She prayed that she would choose the right men to keep, looking them all over one last time. They seemed a lot less nervous than she was, but most of them were fidgeting in one way or another.

On her cue, Danielle walked forward, smiling as she handed a rose to Zayn first. She followed up with Red, Daniel, and Brandon. She handed roses to Randy, Dave, Stephen, Lance and Alex, smiling as they visibly relaxed. Erik, Niall, Liam, Josh, and Olly were the next to receive roses and the last few were starting to get antsy as the roses in her hand dwindled. Louis, Joel, Cody, Harry, and Ben were the last lucky ones and six men stood before Danielle who only had one rose left. She paused, looking the men over and grinned, walking over to where James stood, handing it to him. She had made her twenty choices and she paused until the five men that didn't receive roses left the set, heads hung low. Danielle paused, waiting for her cue before she went through her lines. "Gentlemen, we started with twenty-five, we're now down to twenty. I want to thank you all for being here, and I hope you all enjoy your time with me."

Danielle sighed, glancing around quickly to see smirks of acknowledgement, some preening, and a look of astonishment from the men who were chosen. Niall was looking at his rose as if it were some sort of joke that he were still here and Danielle smiled softly because she would have felt the same in his shoes.

She waved to the guys and followed her production assistant, or PA, to her car, knowing that the guys would follow soon after. She was excited to see where the journey took her, and she could only hope that a proposal would come at the end.


	2. Episode One

_In the Men's household:_

Niall made his way to the kitchen. He honestly hadn't thought he'd make the first cut, but here he was, stuck living in a house with nineteen other guys all trying to end up with the same girl. He'd known his chances were slim when he'd applied with the recruiter, but what would it hurt? He hadn't found anyone in Mullingar and they'd been extremely happy to have someone from Ireland on the show.

He'd been surprised that all of the other international guys were from Great Britain and it seemed like they were pal-ing around with each other already. Niall looked for a bowl and grabbed the cereal, trying not to think about how the producer would be coming in to give them the date schedule. He didn't know how he could stick out from the rest of these guys. Hell, that one guy, Zayn, he looked like he could be a model. Hell, half the guys here could. Erik walked around as if he owned the place and Louis was sassy and attractive.

Niall thought he was decent looking, but there was no way he could compete with these guys in the looks department. And honestly, wasn't that what these shows were about? The pretty girl getting the handsome guy and living happily ever after? Niall sighed, sitting at the kitchen island, eating his cereal. He hated that every move was being recorded. He knew it was the same in the other half of the house where Danielle was, everything she said or did could be used against her.

Harry, a nice lad from Cheshire walked over to talk to him. They had both said they'd been surprised to receive roses last night, but Niall knew that Harry's dimples and curls were charming. And Harry was polite and had the English accent that drove girls crazy. Niall was just... Niall. Weird and Irish and not all that attractive really. He'd recently started exercising more than just playing footie with the lads and they'd gotten him braces to straighten out his teeth. He'd started to wear his hair in more of a quiff than just flat on his forehead and he thought it helped make him look older.

Niall had just put his bowl and spoon in the dishwasher when the producer walked in. The din of the room silenced as they all waited to see who would be taking Chelsea out today.

"Louis, Erik, Harry, Niall, Zayn." The producer waited as they stepped forward and Niall felt his nerves returning. "You five will be the first five to spend time with Miss Heston. Please prepare for your dates. You will be going in the order I called you."

Niall wasn't sure how he felt being grouped with the best looking guys in the house and wondered if this was their way of trying to kick him off. At least Zayn would be after him, he was thankful for that much.

_In Danielle's household:_

Danielle had just received a message from the director that a PA would be coming over to tell her what the first date would be. Danielle had been lounging in sweats and a tee shirt, reading a book and avoiding the news. She was probably going to have very little screen time for doing so, but she was comfortable and didn't care.

She opened the door when the PA knocked and the girl rushed in, clipboard in hand. "First you'll be going for a drive with Louis. The weather is nice so don't be afraid to show a little skin. We're setting you up with a convertible, so keep that in mind. After that, you and Erik will be going for a walk in the park. You can change or not, that's up to you. We had to pull some strings to get Harry an ice rink, but they did it, so you'll want to come back to put something warm on. Niall wants cocoa and a movie, so you'll be here, choose at your discretion. And we'll end the evening out with dinner for you and Zayn at a local restaurant. They want you in a dress for that. Got it?"

Danielle's head was reeling from the onslaught of information, but she was pretty sure she could remember all of the important bits. "Yeah, I'm good."

The PA stood. "Okay. You have thirty minutes to get ready. Call if you need anything."

"Thanks Marie, I appreciate it."

The redhead smiled, waving her off. "Shoo, go get ready."

Danielle walked to the bedroom, busying herself with picking an outfit for Louis' date. She would wear a headscarf to keep her hair from tangling and she went through three outfits before she was happy. She settled on a nice pair of dark-wash skinny jeans, a lavender blouse with an asymmetrical hem and short boots. She tied a crème headscarf on before making her way to the front door. She was a little bit nervous, but squashed it down as she grabbed a light jacket, tossing it over her arm if she needed it.

Danielle smiled as she walked out to the driveway and saw Louis waiting for her. He had his hair slicked back and was wearing sunglasses and a jacket. Danielle opened the door, getting in, and tried to ignore the cameras all around them. "Louis, hello," she greeted, buckling up and smiled as he started the car.

"Danielle, you look lovely."

Danielle smiled, putting her sunglasses on as they started out of the driveway, the van with the film crew following closely behind. They both were also aware of the dashboard camera to catch all of their interactions, but they tried their hardest to pretend as if it weren't there.

"You're quite the charmer," she replied, looking over at Louis. He was wearing an Adidas sweater and skinny jeans, but he looked put together.

Louis glanced at her, cheeky grin in place and Danielle wondered how many hearts he had broken. "I just try to tell the truth, Danielle. I think honesty is a good thing."

"This is true," Danielle agreed before looking out at the scenery around them. They were out in the California countryside, though Danielle couldn't quite pinpoint where seeing as they were never told where they were going to be staying. The crew had loaded her into a van with darkened windows and she was asked so many questions on the ride that she wasn't sure if they had turned or stayed straight the entire time. Something to do with privacy, the producer said.

_In the Men's Household:_

Niall fixed his hair, feeling slightly nervous. He was the first man to get to go into Danielle's side of the house and he wanted to look good. Not too formal, but not too relaxed either. He settled on a pair of tan trousers and a button down. The producers had already decided on the movie so it was up to Niall to try and make the evening memorable.

One of the PA's, a girl with red hair and a kind smile came to talk to him, running through how they would film his entrance and exit. Niall hated that everything was filmed because it would be aired on television if he said or did something particularly stupid. He took a deep breath as the PA took him to the set behind the house, cutting through the garden. Niall glimpsed a hot tub and pool over the hedge and noted it looked a bit nicer than the patio the guys had.

Niall pressed his fingers to where he had left the collar of his shirt opened and wondered if it were a bit too much. He didn't have time to reflect on it because the PA was pushing him towards the front walk, mumbling into her mic and suddenly Niall was alone other than the cameraman silently filming him.

Niall swallowed thickly before making his way along the walk, taking the three steps slowly and reached out, knocking on the door.

It was opened instantly to reveal Danielle smiling at him. She was dressed in jeans and a sweater, her hair down, over one shoulder. Niall thought she was beautiful. He hoped he stood a chance with her because he really wanted to get to know her better. It was something about the way that his heart seemed to catch in his throat when they looked at each other.

"Niall, come in," she greeted, opening the door for him.

Niall walked in, brushing his palms against his trousers. "Danielle, you look lovely."

He wasn't sure if it was the lighting or if she was blushing slightly. "Thanks," she murmured, ushering him in. She walked to the small kitchenette where the production team had set out two mugs and cocoa mix.

Danielle busied herself heating milk and paused as she waited for the microwave. "So what part of Ireland are you from?"

Niall leaned against the counter, resting his elbows on the marble top. "Mullingar, County Westmeath."

"Mullingar," Danielle tried out the name, rolling the word around on her tongue. "I visited Northern Ireland once on a missions trip with my youth group."

"Oh?" Niall was intrigued; many people didn't even know the country was divided. "Which part?"

Danielle took the mugs out, stirring the mix in. "Belfast. We flew into Dublin, drove up to Belfast. We went out to Carrickfergus and Giant's Causeway."

Niall chuckled, taking the mug Danielle held out to him. "Traveled a bit then, eh?"

Danielle nodded, motioning for them to go to the sitting area. "I also was able to go to London, Canada, and France."

Niall let out a low whistle. "Wow, that's just a few places."

Danielle laughed. "I have my High School to thank for France and Canada; I took five years of French. London was a college trip. But I love travelling. I want to visit Egypt, Spain, Italy, and I really want to go back to Ireland to see all the big tourist things." She blushed softly, playing with a strand of her hair. "I'm sure all of that is just normal to you, though."

"Not really, never travelled much out of my county. It's a bit different 'round t'ere."

Danielle nodded. "I liked Ireland. We walked everywhere; it's a lot different than the small town I grew up in."

Niall nodded before sipping his hot chocolate. It was warm and sweet and he found himself really enjoying the conversation.

Danielle picked up the remote, turning the TV on and tried not to laugh as a pre-programmed movie came on. She hid a smile as Niall shifted closer, placing his arm around her. She thought he was really sweet so far, and the accent was really attractive. He was good at conversation and had a warmth about him that made Danielle feel like they had been best friends for years instead of mere strangers.

As the movie played, Niall couldn't help but to sneak glances at her, and when she caught him looking, he had kissed her gently on the cheek, her eyes lighting up.

\------------------

Danielle stood to the side, holding seventeen roses. The past few days had been filled with date after date, each of the guys vying for another chance to woo her. Danielle knew that once they pared down the group more, things would get more serious. There would be one-on-one moments where dates would end with guys coming over to spend the night. They would open it up so the guys could come and go with her as they pleased and Danielle knew it was critical to keep the ones that were in it for her, not the money.

Danielle had a few dates that really stood out in her mind. Zayn had been the perfect gentleman during dinner and they had had a nice talk on the way there. Erik was really charming and sweet, reciting poetry on their walk which had impressed Danielle. Lance had taken her to see a hockey game and they both had gotten really into it, showing off their competitive sides. Danielle thought about the time she had spent with Niall. They had both grown bored of the movie and instead had told jokes and funny stories, proving he was hilarious as well as sweet. It was going to be difficult to choose the longer that time went on.

Danielle walked over, handing her first rose to Erik. Louis, Harry, Niall and Josh were next. Zayn, Red, and Stephen received the next roses, smiling as she handed the roses to each of them. Next to get roses were Liam, Olly, Daniel, and Brandon. She handed a rose to Ben, followed by Joel, and then walked over to give one to Dave. She paused, holding two flowers, with five men before her. She slowly handed one to Alex and soon gave the last rose to Lance.

They waited as Cody, James, and Randy exited before the producer signaled for the rest of the men to leave, Danielle watching them go until they called cut. She sighed softly, wondering if she really would find true love at all.


	3. Episode 2

_In the Men's Household:_

Zayn was sitting on the couch, thumbing through a magazine when his thoughts drifted towards his dinner last night with Danielle. He'd been impressed at how well-read she had seemed, not the daft birds they sometimes had on these types of shows. They had talked about her charity work with a local homeless shelter and Zayn had been intrigued to learn that she also likes to help out with an area YMCA when they needed it. He had laughed at her hatred of yoga, something she had said she was terrible at even though she proclaimed she was flexible and Zayn had realised she had said it honestly, not flirting.

They had ended the night by him dropping her off on her porch, her allowing a soft kiss before he turned away. It hadn't lasted long, but was enough for him to feel the chemistry they had together. He was feeling better about staying on the show for a while. Her smiles had seemed real, not faked and she had placed her hand on his arm more than once during the evening.

Of course, Zayn supposed, she could have reacted that way towards many of the other men. Certainly Zayn had the rugged look going for him, just a little rough around the edges but slim and sleek nonetheless. Danielle had reasons for keeping the guys she had and Zayn knew there was something she saw in all of them. He looked around the room from the couch he was sprawled on, his eyes flickering from guy to guy. Niall was strumming the guitar he'd brought and Zayn thought it had been a smart move; girls loved a guy singing to them. Harry and Louis were chatting in a corner. Ben had been staring at everyone with a sour look on his face all day and had started to creep Zayn out. He hoped the guy would be gone soon because there was no way a girl as beautiful as Danielle could be into some scrawny nerd like that.

Zayn was hoping Danielle would request to go on a date with him again because he wanted her to cement him as a favorite. Plus, he really wanted to kiss her again. His brown eyes landed on the one person Zayn thought to be his biggest competition. Erik. The guy was tall, blonde, and blue-eyed. He had a jaw line most guys would kill for, though Zayn thought his own was perfect, thank you very much. Erik was one of those All-American guys that probably played baseball in high school and was prom king. He had some German sounding last name that Zayn didn't care to remember. This was his competition. He wasn't here to make friends; he was here to win the heart of Danielle.

\----------

Niall strummed his Epiphone Texan, a present from his parents, as he thought about if Danielle would like him to sing to her or not. He thought the date had gone really well. They had talked a lot, learning about each other and Niall felt like he could be honest with her. He still held his biggest secret close to his chest, something most people didn't know. He hadn't told the producers and prayed it wouldn't hurt his chances with Danielle, which she would understand when the time came to tell her.

Niall sighed, closing his eyes. Why was he even kidding himself? If, and it was a very big if, he made it to the next round, would Danielle enjoy spending more time with him? He didn't know how to impress her, especially not more than the men around him. Hell, all Zayn or Liam would have to do was walk into the room with her and she'd be impressed. It bothered him slightly that Zayn had kissed her. Was she showing a preference for the lad from Bradford or was it just that Zayn had been the only one to actually try? Granted, he'd kissed her cheek, but Zayn had gotten in a proper snog and the rest of them seemed to be losing ground against the model.

Niall had definitely felt chemistry with Danielle. He was drawn to her both physically and non. Their conversation had been lively and he had really enjoyed getting to know her. She had seemed genuinely interested in what he had to say and had even laughed at one of his favorite jokes that all his mates had gotten tired of.

Niall started to strum again as a song from the great Eric Clapton popped into his head. He'd always been a fan of the older American rock bands like The Eagles, something about music from that era really called to him. He started to play the notes and actually almost growled as Erik walked over and sat down, singing.

"Dude, I love this song!" Erik exclaimed in his annoying Cali surfer dude voice.

Niall stopped playing; looking at the blond and he really wanted all the dye to fall out of his own hair so he could be his natural brunet and have nothing in common with this guy. "I like it too, s'why I was playin' it."

"Come on, you play, I'll sing." Erik nudged Niall, gesturing for him to play.

Niall prayed that this guy couldn't sing because that would be one less thing this man had on him. He started to play and from the first note Erik sang, Niall's stomach flopped. Erik was attractive and could sing and seemed to be a genuinely nice guy. How could Niall compete against him? He tried to block it all out as he focused on the chords and as soon it was over he excused himself to the toilet, putting his guitar away in his room.

\--------

_In Danielle's Household:_

Danielle sat in one of the chairs in her house as she waited for the camera crew to finish setting up for her interview. They would film her talking about the dates and some of the guys. She honestly didn't mind about the invasion of privacy because she couldn't stop thinking about some of the guys. She knew when it got down to it that it was going to be hard to choose, unless one of them turned out to be a real asshole.

Marie had brought her an iced coffee and Danielle was sipping it as she and the PA were talking off-camera.

"That Harry is really attractive," Marie commented.

Danielle nodded. "He is, so are all of the guys. But Zayn is really gorgeous."

"That jawline," Marie sighed dreamily, drawing a laugh from Danielle. "Do you have any favorites? Off the record of course."

Danielle smiled because with this show nothing was really ever off the record but with Marie being in shot, she was hoping they couldn't use the footage. "Zayn, of course, even though he'd got that whole bad boy thing going for him. Niall, he's really sweet, hanging out with him was a lot of fun." Danielle thought Marie had seemed surprised by that choice and she had a feeling that Niall was the current show underdog. "Oh, and Erik."

Marie gave a conspiratorial smile. "He and Zayn are the show frontrunners this season. The producers do some sort of poll on it and those two are the fan faves."

Danielle didn't know these things went that far as to see who the season favorites were, but she wouldn't make something like that her defining factor for these men. Who knew what she'd find out about them during the show?

\-----------------

_In the Men's Household:_

Ben was angry. Danielle still hadn't recognized him or his name. Granted, he looked a bit different from the last time she'd seen him, cut his hair and bulked up a bit. Even with all of the changes, he thought there would have at least been a flicker of recognition in her beautiful hazel eyes.

The date he'd taken her on had seemed a success, coffee and a trip to a comic store where he bought her a few of her favorite Avengers comics. The night had ended in a hug and smile, much different than the kiss Zayn had been crowing about all day.

Ben already knew he was fighting uphill for Danielle with her penchant for European men. With an Irishman and some Brits in the mix, Ben was praying they would be assholes and Danielle wouldn't be swayed by their charming accents.

Zayn was the one he was most worried about, the guy had looks and charm, they type of bad boy Danielle would easily go for. He'd been in love with Danielle since they were fifteen and he met her at youth camp. They'd been friends back then and he followed her on Twitter and Instagram but either she didn't remember him or was pretending not to. At home he had a wall dedicated to Danielle. Photos printed from her Facebook of when she was Homecoming Queen at her small school. Prom photos he had cut her date out of. Couldn't she see those guys weren't good for her?

Ben wasn't sure how this show had found out he knew her, but he had jumped at the chance to see her again. He had hoped there would have been an instant connection when they met, but she had been nice, listening to him talk and hadn't given the notion that she knew him any more than these other guys traipsing about the household. Ben would do whatever it took to stay on this show because he and Danielle were meant to be and he would prove it to her.


	4. Episode 3

Danielle glanced up as Alexa, the season producer walked into the room. She had gotten used to people walking in and out of the house at any time of day so this intrusion did not even faze her.

"Danielle, we're going to start letting the guys mingle with you from now on. You know you're free to do as you please with yourself and them, but we really need some good material for Erik and Zayn."

Danielle nodded. She didn't mind the setup because at the end of the day she really did have the ability to keep who she wanted. Marie kept Danielle up on the ratings coming in on the polls for the guys and Danielle honestly tried to get rid of some of the ones the fans didn't like, but she had to follow her own heart as well. She took a deep breath, glad she had put on a flowy number that accentuated her bust since she knew that any minute the men would be free to walk in and out of her side of the house.

It would appear to the audience that the men were being moved to her house, thanks to a lot of B-roll footage that had been filmed as the men arrived, but in all reality, the house would just be completely opened up. There were still rules, the men couldn't harass Danielle, but they were free to talk to her, sit with her, anything else.

"I'll try and get them into the hot tub, the audience will love that."

Alexa snickered. "Wouldn't we all?"

Danielle grinned because deep down she thought Alexa really wanted the girls to be happy, even if she sometimes had to be a royal bitch to get ratings. Interview rooms could be harsh if Alexa needed them to be and Danielle was pretty sure the woman would stop at nothing to keep the show on the air.

Almost as if on cue, Danielle heard the locks disengage on the doors that kept her separated from the men's quarters. She heard soft murmurs floating through the doorway and she silently laughed to herself.

Zayn was the first to enter her side, slinking through the doorway as if he'd been invited in. "Well, hello Danielle, glad we could finally make it."

Danielle smiled, biting back a laugh as she took his outstretched hand, softly shaking it.

The others slowly filed in, looking around the room as if they hadn't been staying in ones that matched the wood paneled walls and marble countertops that her side sported. Danielle waited as they all filed into the living room, forming a sort of semi-circle around the L-shaped divan in the center of the room. "Gentlemen, welcome to the house. I look forward with interacting with all of you."

She kept a bright smile on her face until the director yelled cut and the extra cameras that had been brought in for the entrance were slowly wheeled out. A few of the PAs checked on their assigned people before scampering out under Alexa's withering glare.

Danielle relaxed. "Please, make yourself feel at home. I want you to feel comfortable in here. I hope to see all of you in the evening for an impromptu pool party."

The guys were excited at the idea of a pool party hosted by Danielle and some started high-fiving the others before the group slowly disbanded. A few of the guys went off to look around Danielle's half of the house while others went back to what they had been doing before the interruption.

\----

Danielle changed into a hot pink bikini, tying the top around her neck securely because the last thing she wanted was to give the television audience a real show. She grabbed a towel and padded barefoot through the house towards the French Doors leading to the patio. She paused in the kitchen, leaning against the mahogany and grey marble island as she watched Erik rummage in the fridge. "Hey Erik, I'm heading out to the hot tub, care to join?"

Erik turned, drinking her lithe form in before smiling brightly. "Yeah, let me change and I'll be right there." He ran a hand through his tawny hair before tugging his shirt over his head, turning towards the door leading to his bedroom.

Danielle grinned, shaking her head slightly as she opened the left door, walking through into the warm sunlight of the day. There were a few puffy white clouds drifting slowly in the azure sky, but none of them promised to drop rain on her as she climbed into the hot tub. She let out a soft sigh as she sank slowly into the hot water, the jets pushing the water against the taut muscles of her back.

Danielle opened her eyes slowly as she heard the door open and voices cutting through the silence of the backyard. She saw Erik and a very shirtless Zayn making their way over, looking as if they were in a heated discussion and Danielle assumed Erik was none-too-happy about Zayn's decision to join them. She lifted a hand out of the water and waved, beckoning them to join her.

As Erik made his way into the bubbling water, Danielle could see annoyance marring his features. "Zayn heard where I was headed and decided to join us." His voice was strained and Danielle wanted to giggle at the absurdity of the situation.

Zayn merely shrugged and pushed his hair back as he took a seat to Danielle's left, his hand brushing against hers in the water.

\---

As the sun sank in the evening sky, painting the clouds a vibrant shade of cerise, most of the guys had meandered out to the pool.

Danielle had taken up residence on a lounger and was sipping a cocktail while chatting with Harry when Louis ran by them, diving into the pool. Danielle laughed as Ben glared at him, shaking off water that had splashed on him.

"Oi, Danielle, come on in!" Louis crowed, waving as he pushed dripping strands of hair back on his head.

Danielle stood, ruffling Harry's hair as she walked towards the pool, diving in when she reached the edge. She resurfaced, grinning as the other men looked her direction. "Who's up for pool basketball?" She motioned towards the basket hanging over the edge of the pool, leaning back to put her hair in a ponytail.

Most of the men jumped right in, but Zayn and Lance stood by the grill, getting it ready for an impromptu cookout.

Danielle had gotten rid of Brandon and Joel during the last rose ceremony, bringing the group down to fifteen and as she looked around at the guys heading in her direction, she knew the next weeks were going to be hard, having to choose only one guy to go for the rest of the show.

They divided up into teams and started the game, some having fun, some being way too serious, but overall there was a lot of laughter and even more name calling. They played until Lance called for everyone to come eat, Danielle grinning from ear to ear as she led her winning team from the pool.

\-----

Danielle had changed into a flowing olive green maxi dress, her bare shoulders tanned from being out in the sun. Zayn had asked to talk to her at the gazebo after everyone had gone in and she was on her way there then.

She saw him watching her cross the lawn and she blushed softly as he held out a hand to her, leading her up the short steps. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you," she replied, looking into his deep brown eyes. "You look nice yourself." Zayn was wearing jeans and a navy button down, the sleeves rolled up to right below his elbows.

Zayn inclined his head in a nod of sorts before gently pulling Danielle closer. His arms wrapped around her waist, holding her tightly against him. Danielle placed a hand on his chest, the other resting lightly on the bared skin of his arm.

Danielle couldn't help but to be drawn to him. So far he seemed to be the one going after her the hardest, but she didn't know if it had been set up that way by Alexa or not. Either way, there was chemistry between the two of them, that much was undeniable.

Zayn tilted his head, pressing his lips against hers in a passionate kiss that made Danielle curl her fingers into the back of his hair, pressing up on her toes slightly to reach him better.

Zayn's hand found its way along her hip and then to the curve of her ass, giving it a gentle squeeze. He pulled away just slightly, their mouths mere inches away from the other's. "Every time I looked at you today, I couldn't stop thinking about wanting to kiss you."

Danielle licked her lips, swallowing thickly before pulling Zayn back down to her, kissing him again. They stood there locked in the other's embrace, hands roving, tongues meeting in a tangle of hot kisses and both thought they might just remain that way until the sun came back up again.

Danielle was warring with herself. She wanted to ask Zayn to come back to the bedroom with her, but she didn't want to seem desperate or to make any of the men think she had already made up her mind. Her heart was racing as Zayn gently tugged her bottom lip with his teeth, sending a jolt of pleasure through her and she tugged in his hair.

Zayn was the first to pull away, his lips red, eyes caught on Danielle's mouth. "I-" he paused to clear his throat, "I should get back in before I become the least favorite person in the house."

Danielle nodded, unable to think through the haze in her mind. "I'll be in in a moment." Danielle collected herself as Zayn walked back to the house, pausing to look back at her before walking through the door.

She sat in the gazebo lit with strings of white fairy lights and thought about how she would proceed. She wanted to make the right choice, but she didn't know if she was really thinking with her heart anymore.

Danielle paused in the doorway to her bedroom when she heard soft singing coming from the living room that used to be solely hers. She removed her gladiator sandals and padded silently to the room. She leaned against the doorframe, watching as Niall played his guitar, singing a song she'd never heard.

"That was wonderful," she mused, walking into the room, covering her mouth to hide a grin when Niall jumped. He turned red around the ears and fluffed a hand through his hair nervously. "Oh, um, thanks."

Danielle sat next to him on the sofa. "I've never heard that song before, who does it?"

Niall turned even redder. "Ah, um, ya see, 'twas I."

"You wrote that?" Danielle couldn't help but to be surprised because the song was of such quality that she would have expected it to be on the radio.

Niall nodded, looking very interested in the leather grain of the couch.

Danielle placed a finger under his chin, tilting his head up. "Niall, it was lovely. I'd like to hear you sing it again sometime. Maybe after dinner with me tomorrow?"

Niall's blue eyes lit up as Danielle's meaning sunk in. "Yeh, that'd be great!" Niall couldn't help but to grin as she squeezed his hand. "Perfect, see you tomorrow night."

\-----

Danielle set a plate of her favorite dish to make, chicken and peppers with mashed potatoes and French hericot verts, in front of Niall. She had lit a couple of candles and dimmed the lights in the room to give it a more intimate feel.

Danielle sat across the table from Niall, smiling as he started to eat. There was an unwritten rule that if one of the men was having one-on-one time with Danielle, none of the others would ruin it. Alexa used the time to conduct interviews and Danielle could only imagine what was being said at the moment.

"This is amazin'" Niall articulated, jabbing his fork at the food.

Okay, so maybe manners weren't his strong point, but Danielle had to admit it was rather endearing coming from him. "Thanks, I really enjoy cooking."

"I enjoy eatin'," he mumbled, taking another bite.

Danielle laughed before sipping her wine. Her eyes met Niall's over the rim of her glass and they shared a brief smile.

After dinner, Niall helped Danielle with the dishes and they stood arm to arm, elbows deep in soapy water. The house had a dishwasher, but Danielle wanted to spend more time with just Niall so she could get to know him better. As they washed dishes, Niall rinsing and setting them in the drainer that Marie had provided Danielle, they discussed their home lives, hobbies, and general interests.

Danielle was surprised to find out that Niall had an older brother and Niall had thought it was pretty cool that Danielle had played clarinet in High School band.

Dishes done and candles almost burned out, Danielle positioned them near a camera in the living room, still carrying a conversation with Niall. She let out a soft mmf of surprise when he kissed her in the middle of a sentence. His lips were soft, his hands warm on her cheeks and Danielle kissed him back, both of them slowly warming up, figuring out the other one.

Niall ended the kiss, fluttering soft, barely-there kisses to her cheeks and nose. Danielle laughed at the tickling touches, her heart torn between the man in front of her and the one she had spent time with the evening before. They both seemed so perfect, it seemed impossible for her to choose.

\---

Danielle stood to the side as Marie hid the battery pack to the lapel mic under her dress. It was a tight navy blue number that Danielle never would have chosen, but she had to admist it looked nice on her. Marie tested the mic, waiting for a response on her walkie headphones before leading Danielle out to the patio.

The production crew had set up a trellis and a few fake plants with lights strung in them to create and ethereal background for the night's ceremony. Danielle had already heard the voice over to be used for the evening, telling the future audience that she would only be sending one man home each time from this ceremony on.

The decision hadn't been difficult, Danielle still had favorites and a few that she could easily let go. She looked up as Marie pressed the roses into her hands before scuttling away. The producer yelled for quiet on the set and they began filming with the men walking in one by one.

There was a pause as they played the voice over through someone's phone so that the camera crew could keep filming. At Regan's cue she walked forward, handing Zayn the first rose. She turned to Niall, handing him the next one and heard a soft exhale from Alexa's direction. That meant Niall would be moving up in the ranks and that Alexa didn't have to do damage control for the episode.

Danielle handed a rose to Harry who looked dapper in his tailored suit. Ben, Louis, Erik and Lance received roses and a smile from Danielle as she silently told them they would be on for at least one more episode. Olly and Daniel were next to receive roses followed quickly by Liam, Stephen, Josh and Red.

Danielle looked between the two remaining men, her smile unwavering as she handed the last rose to Alex, effectively sending Dave home.

Once Dave had left to gather his things and go to the exit interview, the producer called cut and allowed the cast to mingle amongst themselves.

Each of the men thanked Danielle for giving them a rose, some promising that they wouldn't let her down.


End file.
